Tuesday, July 31, 2012

We have enjoyed our "Summer" (how can it be called summer vacation if it starts in Spring and then school re-starts in Summer?) break from schooling, and while Spencer looks forward to seeing more friends again, well, we are going to cram some more fun in before he has to get back into the swing of things.
Currently he is watching Cosby and Monk, a lot. Thursday we are going to go see a musical comedy show, should be fun. Alyssa is coming to hang out with us a few days as well, and while she is in town for other reasons it will be fun to have her around.

Next week we will be completely unplugged. No TV, no Wii, no computer and only occasional phone coverage! It will be time to head to the hills(Sierra mountains) and spend time in the pine trees and aspens and play in the stream, and go fishing and to the lake, and lucky us,this year we will water ski again. Can I get a woohoo?

I will breathe in fresh wonderfully clean air, and read lots of books on my Kindle. I know, it's an electronic device...but it takes up less space and is much lighter than a stack of paper books, and I can change the font size so that I don't get eye strain. Yes, I know, I need glasses. Someday I will get some. I promise. It isn't vanity keeping me from them, it's all about money, isn't it always?

As I am writing this post I realized that our life seems so smooth and lovely when I write about certain things. It isn't perfect, by no means. It takes a lot for us to work a few days away into our schedule. We are self employed, if we don't work, we don't eat or pay bills. No paid vacation days, or sick days for us. We are just so thankful for the work God provides for us and the opportunities to enjoy His creation. I want to stay positive, I want to always be thankful, even for the tiniest things. We need boards right now, a purchase that I can not just run out to a lumber yard and make...but why do we need them? To hold up the ever bending branches of the peach trees heavy with fruit. Fruit that will ripen and be eaten as well as preserved for nourishment later throughout the year. This is a blessing! I have to constantly be on top of every purchase and every bit of income. After giving God what is His I work hard to make sure we have enough for rent, enough for bills, and for our Compassion child. God always comes through, but it is sometimes last moment, and to the cent. When you don't always know the next paycheck's amount, it's a lot harder to budget. It's that simple, which is not simple at all.

My house gets messy, I am not always filled with kindness and grace, and life gets sticky and tricky sometimes. But I love my life, and will celebrate the goodness and the blessings!

Friday, July 27, 2012

We learned some very important lessons tonight!
1. Always ask if the proper equipment is available for your project!
2. Do not use glassware for making caramel popcorn.
3. If a chunk of your favorite Pampered Chef spatula breaks off during the stirring of the caramel into the popcorn, it well very well delay, and therefore destroy, said batch....

I did find the missing piece after much searching, but sadly by then the caramel had set, and the batch was weird, delicious, but weird.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

All week long I have been thinking it's the next day.
Woke up today thinking of all the things I need to get done...tomorrow. I hope I remember them tomorrow.

I have no need to live faster, or in the future. Don't know how or why my day clock is set forward. Even with all the weekly events going on I am still off. Which of course makes no sense.

I am trying to enjoy each day for it's own merits. Spencer only has a couple weeks left of Summer vacation and then it's back to school. He was able to do a lot this summer, and I hope he had ample time to enjoy being a kid. He is only a few years away from needing a summer job, and then all that implies. We have a to do list before he goes back, but at the same time, it's okay if it doesn't get done. I am not going to stress if we don't clean out his wardrobe before school starts. The kid doesn't care about back to school clothes. He has new shoes because he destroyed his last pair in 6 weeks. SIX WEEKS. siiiiigh. Plus, it's AUGUST, so t-shirts and shorts are all he needs anyway. Done. He does need a new backpack. Last year's barely made it to the end. Both straps broke from the sheer weight of the books and binders he is required to lug around. I am sure the American Back Association (if there is one) is appalled at the damage caused by the text books. I would love to see sets of books for the classrooms and sets of books for at home this year. I know some schools are able to do that. We are a unique school (half classroom time, half at home study) I doubt the funds exist to do such a thing.

I have rambled enough. I am going to go finish my Thursday projects and errands. THURSDAY, not Friday.

Monday, July 23, 2012

I have been stuck in my weight loss journey.
It's very frustrating.
But it's not the fabulous products I am using. They work GREAT......when you use them and stick to some sort of correct pathway...
It's all about ME.

You read that right, I said it.

It's problems in my own mind, like a cylinder of bad thoughts. I keep rolling them around and around in my mind, and inevitably I end up eating what I shouldn't in pure rebellion.

It's rather ridiculous.

I kick myself in the tush and say "get back to it!", and sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't.

Why the inner struggle?

Rebellion, that's what it is.
At the very core, it's almost always rebellion. Or fear, but that's a topic for another day.

So today I am starting a study on Biblical rebellion and the results therein, and how to avoid it or what to do about it. This is a self study, no guide or fancy book to follow. I will be doing the research, and I will let you know what I find.

Who's with me to figure out why we do what we know we shouldn't, and why we don't do what we should?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

My son attended a birthday party yesterday. A normal birthday party. In a park...a public park, not a theme park. With cinnamon rolls and orange juice and fresh fruit (in was in the morning, before the summer heat set in).

This family is very creative and the birthday boy wanted something Tron themed. The mom didn't go out and buy everything Tron...they created it instead. And I don't mean Martha S style. She found appropriate plates and napkins that had a design element to them that was "Tronish"...but the best part of the party was the games. Her sons brainstormed and then created discs like in the movie. Each boy had a holder clipped onto their backs and the flying discs fit right on them, like the movie. They created the disc with paper plates, scissors, glue and paint. They used string at first so you could retrieve the disc, but later cut them off for farther distance throwing.

They had a blast!

The clip doesn't show up in this photo because it was painted black as well.

There was a blue team and a red team and a white trimmed disc was sought after.
Spencer had a great time, as did all the boys.
It doesn't take a lot of money to create a great birthday party.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Today I am thankful for
1. My friend Tiffany, today we celebrate her birth. I know I am glad she was born!
2. Cooler temperatures which lead to...
3. 50% containment on the forest fire raging nearby.
4. Firemen.
5. Winds that kept away the smoke last night.
6. Hard boiled eggs. Weird? Maybe, but they are a good protein snack.
7. Time with my daughter. It's a treat now days.
8. Time with God.
9. Mentors
10.Thankful for the little things today. If you can't be thankful for the little things, why would you be given bigger things?

Thursday, July 12, 2012

My husband looked at me with his gorgeous brown eyes, strained and knowing he was facing a mess and needing to swallow down his true feelings regarding a work situation.

In that moment I had a choice.

I could have easily made a comment that would lead to what I wanted, or I could just tell him how sorry I was that he has to deal with messes, and let him lead.

I let him lead.

And he thanked me for telling him I am sorry. And I truly am sorry. It's brutal watching a loved one go through something hard and frustrating, knowing it can't be fixed.

In the back of my mind sat the words, "do not make big decisions during a storm".
We will wait, ride the storm, and when the way is calm again seek guidance of what's next. There is always something to learn, and always something to help us grow.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

My husband is working nearly round the clock for a deadline. Partially because we took a much needed vacation last week, partially because of what the project is, and who it's for, but mostly, it's just who he is. He has never needed a lot of sleep, and he works well at night. I used to get really upset when he did this. If he does it too much he gets sick. I also don't like sleeping alone.

But that's so selfish.
He is providing for our family.
He is working his tail off to get things done, while fighting with our lame internet connection, and computer issues. Making due with equipment that is ancient in gear years. He is a good man. A hard worker. A gentle soul with good work ethics, and a tendency towards insomnia.

Monday, July 9, 2012

This is the post where I am supposed to tell you how wonderful my visit to Idaho was. I am supposed to blog about our adventurs and post lots of great photos (despite the fact that all I have is a stinky cell phone camera). Here is where I will write funny stories of the kids and things they said and did.

Fact is, all of those things are true, it was fun and wonderful, and just what we needed, and the kids got along even better than in years past. We ate amazing food, we worked out hard at the gym and took walks, and enjoyed the company of our friends...

and I miss them terribly.

I am home, doing laundry, cleaning stuff up, getting back to work...back full force into the throws of our normal. I miss having my friend right there, to talk, to laugh, to share life's normal stuff. I miss the almost 4 year old's hands "braving" (braiding, a loose term for twisting) my hair and randomly giving me hugs. I miss the chaos of all the boys making up games and flying through the kitchen in search of food...always in search of food, it's amazing.

I miss my friend.

It was nice to be able to just be together.

I wish I could have stayed longer. I really do. There are things I wanted to share with her, and things we could have done. Time flew by so fast!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

SO thankful for the freedom we enjoy and the sacrifices of those who protect it.
Thankful for a gracious and loving God.
Thankful for good friends and fun times.
Thankful for a way to get weight off easily after being so well fed by good friends!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

I am visiting my good friend Tiffany, from My Crowded Kitchen.
As you can imagine the battle of the bulge just got harder...we spent a couple hours at the gym yesterday and I walked her neighborhood this morning in anticipation of the goodness we will be fed again.

When she is making something for the blog the camera comes out during the process, and the finished product it photographed before anyone can touch it. I noticed prior to our visit where I thought the photos were being taken...however, I had no idea what she was doing to get the shots, standing on the counter happened first...and then this:

Yes, she is sitting with her feet in the sink. The lighting is fabulous in that corner of the kitchen.